Twists and turns to the top for Stave, Shorewood in Division 2 state meet

Madison - Whitnall's Rachel Stave put a record-setting finishing touch on her prep diving career Friday at the University of Wisconsin Natatorium.

A few hours later, Kristin Malone and Rachel Munson put their names in the record books, too, and helped Shorewood end a long title drought and add another chapter to its prestigious history.

Stave amassed 497.30 points, a WIAA Division 2 record and the second-highest score in state meet history for either division, as she cruised to her third consecutive state championship.

The only performance in meet history better than Stave's score was by Oshkosh North's Lauren LeRoy, who logged a 502.45 in winning the Division 1 title in 2003. The previous Division 2 mark was 480.00 by Brown Deer's Gina Ketelhohn in 1995 - it was the oldest standing state meet record.

"It was more than I expected," admitted Stave, who finished second at state as a freshman.

Not bad for someone who took up diving five years ago because she was getting too tall to continue in gymnastics. The 5-foot-10 Stave will follow her older brother, UW quarterback Joel Stave, to Madison and dive for the Badgers starting next season.

Feeling right at home on her future college boards and with her brother in the stands, Stave had one blip in her prep finale before finishing with a flourish.

"She had one dive in her fourth round that she didn't hit as well as she could, so we thought maybe the record was out of reach," Whitnall diving coach Cheryl Weber said. "I think the true competitor in her came out. After that round. . . her best dives ever. She totally closed it out.

"Not only did she get the record, she surpassed that it should stay for a very long time. It was a fantastic way for her to end her high school career."

For a while, it looked as if the diving competition might help determine the Division 2 team champion, too.

Grafton picked up 29 points from its two divers and edged Shorewood in the 200-yard freestyle relay, the night's first swimming event.

But Malone got the Greyhounds going, winning the 200 freestyle in a state-record 1 minute 48.83 seconds, and the junior then put Shorewood ahead for good in the team race with another record-setting performance in repeating as champion in the 100 free.

Fittingly, it was yet another record that clinched the Greyhounds' record seventh Division 2 state title - and first since 2003.

Munson turned in a 1:01.37 to win the 100 breaststroke, not only a Division 2 record but also faster than the Division 1 mark of 1:01.72 set by Muskego's Sami Pochowski last year. "I had an adrenaline rush," on the final leg, Munson said. "I felt so good."

Senior Ellen Stello added a victory in the 500 free and was second in the 200 individual medley, just ahead of Munson, as Shorewood racked up 255 points to deny Milton a third consecutive title.

"It's been awhile," soaking wet Greyhounds coach Robby McCabe said after the traditional swim with his championship team. "These are the best kinds of swims. I retired from swimming long ago, but I'll get in the water for these.

"Coming into the meet, we certainly thought (a state title) was possible. I didn't expect three state records, I didn't expect five school records, I didn't expect all three relays to take second place. Just the outstanding swims were phenomenal."

Last year, a young Shorewood team was a bit of a surprise in finishing second at state behind Milton. This time around, they were anything but a surprise.

"Going into this year, we were like, 'OK, we think we have a chance to win this, so we're going to go in and try to do this,' " Malone said.

Milton also had an outstanding night, led by Bridgette Alexander. The junior won the 200 IM for the third straight year, set a state record in winning the 100 backstroke (55.45) and was part of the Red Hawks' winning 200 and 400 free relays.

Alexander swam the anchor leg of the meet-ending 400 free relay, in which Milton broke the 1996 state record set by Shorewood - that was the longest-standing swimming record at the meet. The Red Hawks finished with 217 points, while Grafton was third with 193.

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